US President Joe Biden’s annual State of the Nation speech already increases speculation about the upcoming presidential elections, writes ‘s US correspondent Iida Tikka.
WASHINGTON. Which way is the country going? This is the question that the President of the United States does his best to answer in his annual State of the Nation Address.
This time, a lot of expectations were loaded into the speech. The biggest question that hovered over the speech was whether the president would Joe Biden run again in next year’s presidential election.
Although the question remained unanswered, the key moments and length of the speech threw more water into the speculators’ mill.
Here are the three most important takeaways from Tuesday night’s speech.
1. The company unifies with easy themes
Biden spoke in front of the new Congress elected after the midterm elections on Tuesday. The change was tangibly visible to the home audience, because the vice president behind the president Horrible Harris next to him sat the newly elected speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy.
Power in Congress is therefore divided between Democrats and Republicans. In practice, it means that it will be very difficult to promote legal packages for the next two years.
However, Biden’s message to Congress and the people is that he has not given up. In his speech, the president focused above all on themes that Americans can easily agree on. They are the best chance for compromises between the parties.
Health care and the prices of prescription drugs, which affect everyone, became an important theme of the speech. Even those Americans who have health insurance often have to pay a high price for their medicines.
At the same time, Biden got the chance to praise one of his administration’s achievements: the price of insulin for the elderly is now limited to a maximum of $35 per month. Biden announced that he hopes that the same ceiling will be delimited for all US citizens. More than seven million Americans use insulin daily (switch to another service).
In general, one thing that Americans find easy to agree on is foreign policy. This time, however, the foreign policy part of the speech was short.
Biden brought up Russia’s war of aggression as an example of a situation where the United States has once again shown itself capable of leading its allies to defend democracy.
2. More jobs for Americans – and a possible opening for the election campaign
The main theme of Biden’s speech was working in the United States. It’s Biden’s favorite theme.
A job and work, Biden reminded, is much more than just a salary: it’s also about the dignity of life and a sense of meaning.
The theme gave the president an opportunity to recall the greatest achievement of his administration.
Last summer, under the leadership of the president, Congress pushed through an infrastructure package that, among other things, will repair the deteriorating road and water networks in the United States. The package is supposed to bring more work to the United States and guarantee the country’s competitiveness in the future.
He also made the audience laugh by stating that even Republicans who voted against the package are welcome to join when new bridges and other construction projects are opened.
Jobs and especially the status of factory workers were the core of Biden’s presidential campaign in the 2020 election. When speaking about workers’ rights, Biden spoke in much the same way as during his campaign – but now with the confidence brought by the administration’s achievements. Emphasizing these achievements would certainly be at the center of Biden’s campaign if he were to run for office again.
3. This was left unsaid – speculation about the presidential game is heating up
Is Biden going to run in the next presidential election?
That question still remains unanswered, but Tuesday night’s speech added to the speculation.
Biden has previously stated that he is considering a candidacy, but has not yet officially announced whether a decision has been made.
A possible candidacy is not a popular idea. In a recently published opinion survey (you will switch to another service) well under half of the Democratic voters supported Biden as a candidate. Many consider the already 80-year-old Biden simply too old.
Democratic strategists have still reminded that Biden has surprised before. Last time, Biden rose from weak starting positions to become the Democratic candidate and president.